Dalv and the Ample Brook
by Jet556
Summary: Still in search of the abducted Henti and Brigid, Dalv and his descendant Kernunnos travel up an ample brook by canoe.
1. Canoeing

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**Canoeing**

Paddling up the brook, Dalv looked on as Kernunnos looked back at him. Still in search of the location that Brigid and Henti were at, the two spoke often of many things.

"Where Thundera?" asked Kernunnos.

"Oh, far away!" Dalv really just had to focus on paddling the canoe at the moment.

"Thundera like Wilusa?"

"Hardly… Wilusa wasn't built on the bones of my clansmen." Dalv didn't hold that against the Thunderans. The concept of stealing land was ludicrous because land belongs to everyone not just to the people who live there and really he didn't care about the clansmen whom had cast him out for not killing a woman whom had secretly married a man from an enemy clan.

"Who woman who laughing earlier?"

"I don't know." Dalv looked at Kernunnos' head. It was probably best he didn't lean over the edge. They would probably end up going under. "If it was a pythoness then I really hope we end up far from her!"

"What pythoness?"

"An evil woman!" Dalv's mind was on when he first met Pumyra. The thought that such a nice girl could have turned into such a horrid gorgon was something he never would have expected!

"Procyon and Gard had the same mother, one was cursed so what was the other?" Kernunnos recited a poem that was often recited about brothers. It did not require a great deal of intelligence to make a poem like that. All was required was the names of brothers who were not paternal half-brothers.

"Gard is an exile, a conqueror, a destroyer… He is what he has become… The hero chieftain that me and Zuvowang also are. We lead our clan together even if it is not yet recognized by Wilusa."

"When clan recognized?" asked Kernunnos.

"I don't know."


	2. Balor and Brigid

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**Balor and Brigid**

"Why Balor and Brigid not like Kernunnos?" asked Kernunnos.

Dalv didn't look to his descendant but still continued to paddle their canoe. Still he could not help but wonder what Kernunnos meant by that. "How do you mean?"

"Their head not like Kernunnos' head. No one head like Kernunnos' head."

"Well, Kernunnos, you're deformed." Dalv couldn't believe he had to tell Kernunnos the obvious. He wasn't aware that Kernunnos was that unintelligent.

"Kernunnos know that but Balor not perfect either… Balor right eye not open c-completionly only half, back slight curve…"

Dalv raised an eyebrow. "Really? I-I didn't notice that."

"Balor not have huge hump but still Balor hunchback, Balor not have hideous face but still Balor slightly deformed. Why Balor not deformed like Kernunnos or Kernunnos deformed like Balor?"

"There are different kinds of deformities, Kernunnos."

"Why? Why not one kind deformity?"

"I don't know. Why is there so many skin colors, why is there so many shades, why are there so many races? Because there is I guess."

"Dalv not know?"

Dalv shook his head. "Alas, I do not."

"Why Brigid not like Balor and Kernunnos?" asked Kernunnos.

"I don't know."

"Brigid have two scars only. One under right eye and one on upper right arm… Why no deformity for her? Why just scarification?"

Dalv let out a sigh. "These are just things that happen."

Kernunnos was silent for a while. He did not know what to say now. It was a full hour later when Kernunnos did speak again. "Balor and Brigid have marriage arranged… Balor like Brigid and Brigid like Balor… Why Kernunnos not have marriage arranged? Is there no other half of Kernunnos' heart? Kernunnos not know…"


	3. Wahtawah

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**Wahtawah**

"Who Dalv marry who bear children Dalv father?" asked Kernunnos.

"Wahtawah!" exclaimed Dalv, a thoughtful look as the memory of his long dead wife appearing on his face. "Aye, now there was a woman!" Dalv gave a chuckle. "She swore that she would only marry the man who could outrun her, never giving any quarter for any of her suitors save me!"

"Why?" asked Kernunnos.

"Because we loved each other."

"You and her were not arranged to be married?"

"No. My family had few friends thus there was no way for me to have a marriage arranged… "

"Why few friends?"

"Some superstition about my father… It was half-true."

"What superstition?"

"My clan believed he turned into a monster when the autumn moon was bright." Dalv thought back to that superstition. "There was something wrong with my father in the autumn but I can't remember what."

"What Wahtawah like?"

"Proud, didn't really care about her appearance, encouraged mounted heroism." Dalv could have gone on but the list of all of the good things about his dear Wahwawah was indeed long.

"What happen?"

"Same as anything else? Clans are plagued by warfare, pestilence and hardship. Unfortunately, they sometimes claim those you most care about."

"Wahtawah… Dead?"

"Unfortunately…"

Kernunnos looked out at the sky. The moon was in the sky now and Kernunnos could only wonder what mysteries it held.


	4. Wodanaz and Indra

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**Wodanaz and Indra**

"Who Wodanaz?" asked Kernunnos, this time not as much focusing on the moon now but the stars.

"Balor's paternal grandfather." Said Dalv.

"Who Indra?"

"Brigid's maternal grandfather."

"Kernunnos not know either grandfather… Kernunnos wonder who Kernunnos is… Kernunnos meet Wodanaz once and wonder is Wodanaz Evabon like us?"

Now that was a strange question. Confused, Dalv stopped paddling the canoe and looked at Kernunnos. "What do you mean by that? He is grey like us, isn't he?"

"But Wodanaz not Evabon like us, is Wodanaz?"

Dalv scratched his cheek. "I don't think I quite get your meaning."

"Wodanaz not seem normal… Wodanaz seem like Evabon before Wilusa… Wodanaz seem like Evabon before Evabon as Evabon know Evabon to be… Indra seem just as strange… Kernunnos grandfathers just as strange?"

"Hey now, what's this?" asked Dalv. "Have you started speaking in riddles?"

Kernunnos didn't answer. He just continued to look up at the stars. "Beauty and danger in world, good and evil too… Wodanaz, Indra and Kernunnos' grandfathers in between maybe?"

"Now see here, boy, if you are suggesting that Wodanaz and Indra are some sort of neutral spirits I'll hear nothing of it!" Dalv returned to rowing. "Next time something like this happens, Balor comes with me and you can go with Gard! See how he likes these riddles and unthinkable talk!"

"Kernunnos know ancestor die at battle long ago! He great chief! He great leader! He die by arrow to eye! Last chief of marsh clan! His blood flow through Kernunnos veins! Through father Kernunnos descended through him you… Who Kernunnos? Who Dalv? Who anybody?"

"This is some rather serious talk, boy." Dalv again stopped paddling. "Why when I was your age I enjoyed the company of women and a good drink! Such thoughts are for philosophers!"

"Kernunnos philosopher?"

Dalv smiled and nodded. "Why, yes. I suppose you are."


	5. Sengann Fortress

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**Sengann Fortress**

As Dalv and Kernunnos continued down the brook, the sun began to rise. It was around that time they noticed the fortress. It was an Evabon fortress, the way was built told them that much. It must have been built as a means of defense against the labinnac hordes.

"What place that?" asked Kernunnos.

Dalv shrugged as he started to paddle towards shore. "I'd say that is our best bet to finding Brigid and Henti."

"What it?"

"Give how far out we are, I'd say Sengann Fortress." Dalv scowled. "One could hold off three armies in there!"

"It evil place?"

"I don't know. Once it was our best defense against the labinnac hordes but now I'd someone might have gotten in there and started using it as a base of military operations…"

It was at this point that Kernunnos began to weep. "Brigid in there? No! No!"

The thought of anyone being in there was a horrible thought. It was the greatest place of defense against the labinnac hordes but the torture chambers were legendary! A couch of hot irons caused many a prisoner to drip a rich gravy! The thought of a child in there… It was horrible.

As the two came to shore, the sound of bushes rustling came to the ears of Dalv and Kernunnos. The both looked over at the bushes as Dalv drew his sword and pistol.

"Out, whatever you are! If you be Lizard, Labinnac, Evabon or Cat show yourself!"

A violet skinned Evabon child of fifteen came out of the bush. There was something about him that looked not right. Something about his eyes!

"Who you?" asked Kernunnos.

"I am Kanute! I may have lived in this tropical forest that surrounds Sengann fortress for the past eight years but I can see that I have a better grasp of grammar than you do!"

**THE END**


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